by Tyler Durden

Wednesday, Jul 15, 2026 - 10:20 PM

Summary

• Pentagon announces second wave of strikes later Wednesday, the after initial 90-minute attack to start the day.
• Trump threatens wider strikes unless Iran returns to talks - says attacks to 'expand' next week.
• Wednesday saw 5th strait day of US bombardment on chiefly Iranian coastal sites.
• Iran hits US-Gulf bases and warns on regional oil exports, says it is in 'control' of Hormuz Strait.
• No evidence de-escalation: Tehran rejects talks and vows more retaliation.

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Pentagon Announces Another Wave of Strikes Later Wednesday

It is night time in Iran, and apparently the US 'break' is over, and bombing resumes: (CENTCOM) "At 3 p.m. ET, U.S. forces launched operations for a second wave of strikes today against Iran. The strikes are targeting Iranian military capabilities used to threaten vessels freely transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, an international waterway vital to global commerce. The U.S. military is holding Iran accountable at the Commander in Chief's direction."

Without doubt these attack waves are getting heavier, but so is Iran's 'retaliation'... from earlier: Kuwait Hit By Worst Iran Attacks in Weeks As War Escalates (Bloomberg).

Meanwhile an interestingly ambiguous admission from President Trump Wednesday afternoon:

US President Trump says oil price will yo-yo for a while; thinks inflation at year-end will be lower than now. Would like to see rates go down but better to pause than hike

Trump: Strikes Will 'Expand'

Earlier in the day, within hours after the morning's 90-minutes salvo of latest US strikes on Iran was completed, President Trump once again claimed that Iran is desperately seeking diplomatic talks. However Iran was quick to respond that it has "no plans" for returning to the negotiating table.

With this, President Trump is ready to escalate militarily, telling FOX that strikes on the Islamic Republic will "expand" next week - though some are wondering why he is signaling the delay.

 

De-escalation seems nowhere on the horizon, also as the more 'hardline' influence within Iran seems ascendant, per Al Jazeera:

The Iranian government is releasing the statistic of the seven soldiers killed in US attacks “very deliberately” to solidify its popular support through the war, says Mehran Kamrava, professor of government at Georgetown University Qatar.

“What we have seen in Iran … is a resurgence of Iranian nationalism, and by highlighting the fact that Iranian soldiers are dying and giving their lives for defending the country, what the government is trying to do is to ensure that that popular support remains intact,” Kamrava told Al Jazeera.

That support is important as there is little doubt the country is struggling with high inflation, unemployment, and $270bn in damages to the economy, he said. Meanwhile, the Iranians are aware that they cannot go “toe-to-toe militarily with the Americans, so they are turning the conflict from a military one into an economic one, hence the attacks on shipping,” Kamrava said.

Attack Waves Halted, For Now...

The Pentagon opened Wednesday morning (US time) by announcing yet another round of strikes on Iran, in what looks like sustained action - also increasingly expanding to include civil and energy infrastructure of the Islamic Republic.

"At 6 a.m. ET today, U.S. Central Command forces began launching a wave of strikes against Iran," Centcom announced. "The strikes are designed to further degrade military capabilities Iranian forces have used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz."

The US military further indicated it launched a "seven-hour wave" of strikes overnight - and followed during the next day (Wednesday) by a 90-minute wave. Also the evening prior, the US reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports and alongside launching its fourth consecutive night of strikes on the country, also as President Trump freshly warned that if Iran does not return to the negotiating table, "next week it gets really bad for them, because next week comes the power plants."

 

"You better make a deal, or you're not going to have anything left," Trump has warned. "Ultimately, we'll hit energy targets in Iran. Next week comes the bridges. We're going to knock out all of their power plants. We'll knock out all of their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate."

US Strike Hits Iranian Military Barracks 

Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani announced that at least 30 civilians have been killed across the country over 260 people wounded by American strikes of the last few days.

Airstrikes also reportedly took out an Iranian military barracks in southeastern Iran, leaving seven dead. The Associated Press details that "One strike targeted a barracks for Iran’s 388th Mechanized Infantry Brigade, which operates tanks and armored vehicles, in Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iranian state television reported."

"The report said the Americans fired at least 13 missiles in the attack and that the seven dead included conscripts and career soldiers," AP continues. "A number of troops were wounded."

Heavy bombardments have focused on the coastal areas, with US strikes reportedly having hit a civilian maritime control tower in Chabahar, southern Iran - location of country's only deep-water port outside the Strait of Hormuz, which allows Iran direct access to the Indian Ocean without passing through the Gulf.

 

IRGC Strikes Several US-Gulf Facilities

As expected, Iran's IRGC has continued launching a wave of retaliatory strikes targeting critical US military infrastructure across the Gulf and even reaching into Jordan.

The list of targets hit, according to an array of regional sources, include - Bahrain's Sheikh Isa Air Base, the US Navy's 5th Fleet support facility, Kuwait’s Ali Al-Salem and Camp Buehring, and Jordan’s Muwaffaq Salti Air Base.

Also, Emirati sources have reported strikes on the critical Fujairah Port, while Kuwait confirms one of its navy vessels was struck, leaving four crew members injured. Additionally, social media is awash with unverified footage showing Shahed kamikaze drones striking Kuwait, as well as massive plumes of black smoke rising from burning facilities in Kuwait. US 5th Fleet HQ locations in Bahrain also show signs of damage from inbound projectiles.

The IRGC has insisted that the "export of oil and gas from the region will be either for everyone or for no one."

The Iranians have continued to tout their nationalist defiance and have at no point shown signs of backing down as is hoped by Trump:

 

New Warning of Kharg Island Operation

President Trump continues facing pressure over what's next or what the ultimate objectives are. Related to this, he was pressed by Fox News Wednesday night about taking Kharg Island. Trump responded:

"We already hit Kharg Island, as you know, twice. Even three times. I said hit everything but just leave that little area from 25 yards out because I don't want that in terms of the world economy. As far as taking it is concerned, if we degrade them far enough and deep enough back, I would do that."

But Iranian forces show no signs of backing down. Instead a message from its army command via state TV says that "a decisive response to this aggressive action by the American enemy" will keep coming.

 

Missile alert warnings have continued to sound in Bahrain and Kuwait early Wednesday amid the Iranian fire, which has at this point grown to a daily occurrence.

Meanwhile, strikes on nuclear plans return?

 

Overnight Developments

via Newsquawk...

• US President Trump said in a pre-recorded Fox News interview that they are beating up Iran badly and Hormuz has to stay open, while he added that strikes will continue until he says it is enough, as well as stated they will save energy targets for last and will ultimately hit energy targets. Trump also said they will hit Iran hard on Wednesday night, and that next week will get really bad for Iran, in which they will hit Iran's power plants and bridges next week unless Iran comes to the negotiating table. Furthermore, he said US officials spoke to Iran on Tuesday and told Iran that it better make a deal.
• US Central Command forces began launching an additional round of strikes against Iran at 15:00EDT/20:00BST on Tuesday, to continue degrading Iranian capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, while CENTCOM later announced the completion of strikes against Iran.
• US struck Qeshm Island in southern Iran, and explosions were heard in the maritime area of eastern Hormozgan and Sirik, while explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas and Hengam Island. Explosions were also heard in Bampur and Chabahar in Iran, although Iran's semi-official news agency Tasnim noted officials denied reports of explosions in Chabahar, while explosions were reported in Iran's port city of Bandar Imam Khomeini, and a mineral water plant in Deloran was hit by three projectiles. Furthermore, reports noted that air defences around the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Iran became active.
• IRGC said it targeted enemy weapons and parts storage in Bahrain and Kuwait, while it targeted a drone ramp in Kuwait's Ali Al Salem air base and targeted US positions at Jordan's Azraq base, as well as the US Fifth Fleet Command HQ, fuel facilities and equipment in Bahrain. IRGC said as long as the US evil stays in the region, not a drop of oil and gas will be exported from the region, and that US aggression will have no result other than delaying the opening of the Strait of Hormuz.
• Iran will respond to the US attacks, Tasnim reported.
• Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Gharibabadi said the US is making a mistake if it thinks its military attacks and blockade will force them to request negotiations, but also commented that Iran's return to negotiations and tolerance regarding the Strait of Hormuz is possible. Furthermore, he said the MoU effectively no longer exists and that no country should expect Iran to continue implementing the terms of the memorandum.
• Israeli PM Netanyahu is reportedly to travel to Washington on Saturday evening, aiming to meet with US President Trump, Yedioth reported.